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14.10: Conclusion

  • Page ID
    18619
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    This chapter started by exploring the technological, demographic. economic and peace imperatives for learning how to speak to global audiences. It then addressed ways in which this could be done. At the most basic level, public speakers must cultivate sensitivity to and respect for differences among diverse cultures and societies. At the same time, they must overcome barriers such as stereotypes. prejudices and ethnocentrism to achieving intercultural communication competence. Then the chapter examined ways in which public speeches can be made culturally acceptable and appropriate to diverse audiences.

    The chapter discussed ways to understand a diverse audience through learning about cultural patterns and value dimensions. The chapter reviewed Hall's categories of high- and low-context cultures and Hofstede's value dimensions of individualism-collectivism-, power distance; uncertainty avoidance: and masculinity-femininity. This knowledge could help speakers address diverse audiences. The chapter also considered monochronic and polychronic time orientations, and it offered tips on choosing supporting materials, such as stories, analogies, facts. statistics and testimonies. that are culturally acceptable. The chapter then explained that speeches might be organized for diverse audiences using linear and/or holistic structures, and within holistic structures substructures such as wave, star and spiral patterns.

    Next, the chapter focused on choosing culturally appropriate verbal and non-verbal expressions during speech delivery. It covered challenges to effective verbal delivery to diverse audiences, including the triangle of meaning: the pitfalls of denotative and connotative meanings: and different communication style preferences, such as explicit and implicit styles. The chapter also examined culturally appropriate non-verbal expressions. including cultural variations in the use of kinesics. paralanguage and physical appearance. It also suggested making visual aids culturally appropriate.

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    The ability to make effective speeches to global audiences is a skill of the utmost importance in this time when disparate cultures are brought together by globalization, immigration and information and communication technologies. These skills will also come in handy for a variety of situations, from job interviews and presentations with companies in other countries, to local community speeches to welcome new immigrants into the neighborhood. The skills can also be utilized in a myriad of other situations where people will be making public speeches to increasingly global audiences, like Megan Tan, who was well prepared for her "mini-United Nations" of undergraduate students.

    Design is the method of putting form and content together. Design, just as art, has multiple definitions; there is no single definition. Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated. ~Paul Rand


    This page titled 14.10: Conclusion is shared under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Ganga S. Dhanesh@National University of Singapore (Public Speaking Project) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.